California - Northern

[chickee]

Are there any proficient bantam layers out of curiosity? I don't want any but I was looking up productivity and they only get 'fair' marks. Do you find this to be true? Do any of you raise banties for eggs? What breeds do you find to be the more decent layers of the bantams?

Most bantams have a high tendency to become broody. Broody = no eggs being laid

My bantam Polish are great layers, averaging an egg every other day. Polish rarely go broody.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Ron - I hear ya on the math. Just set some eggs under yet another broody. But it doesn't count, right? I'm not hatching them, she is.

Plus I have turkey poults waiting for me when I get back from vacation. (shhh, don't tell the DH) I split them with a friend and she's brooding them for me until I get back.

 

[WasabiChicki]

I don't use artificial lights and laying doesn't fluxuat all that much. I feel they'll lay longer if their bodies are allowed cycle as needed. I don't feed my horses on a scheduled time either because I don't want them to colic because they're systems are used to an exact feeding time. Forcing a routine isn't good, in my opinion.

DITTO!

 

[CowgirlJules]

Anyone have 2 males housed in the same house with little issue? I would so love to keep my Orp roo too. But I don't really want to manage 2 coops. I already have a duck coop. 

You know I don't have any at the moment, but I always had more than one rooster at a time in my layer flock. The ones that were raised together were the best at getting along, but adding new ones usually worked out too. The nasty ones usually were aggressive to people, so they didn't stick around long. It helped to have one main dominant rooster that kept the junior boys in line, and he had a Lieutenant too. Big Red was a cross-variety Wyandotte, extremely good with managing the flock, so I kept him even though I wouldn't have bred him. It did take three or four before I found him.

I think at one time, I had seven or eight full grown roosters in the pen, and things were OK. When I'd turn flocks out of breeding pens to rotate others in, things would get a little fractious for a while, but they'd settle it out. I only ever saw blood if a rainy day kept them all confined too closely in the coop.

Your two should be fine.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

You know I don't have any at the moment, but I always had more than one rooster at a time in my layer flock. The ones that were raised together were the best at getting along, but adding new ones usually worked out too. The nasty ones usually were aggressive to people, so they didn't stick around long. It helped to have one main dominant rooster that kept the junior boys in line, and he had a Lieutenant too. Big Red was a cross-variety Wyandotte, extremely good with managing the flock, so I kept him even though I wouldn't have bred him. It did take three or four before I found him.
I think at one time, I had seven or eight full grown roosters in the pen, and things were OK. When I'd turn flocks out of breeding pens to rotate others in, things would get a little fractious for a while, but they'd settle it out. I only ever saw blood if a rainy day kept them all confined too closely in the coop.
Your two should be fine.

I have three. one is the top dog others try and find their niche.

 

[zooweemama]

Woohoo thanks guys! Even my hubby wanted to keep 1 of each (breed). Joe Cocker (Buff Orp) and Samson (BCM) are keepers for now unless they prove themselves unworthy. I've only named one of pullets though- Harriet (original I know) she a biiig girl compared to the others and a little more chill. Not naming the others. I'm excited to see what the 3 week olds are. I see some obvious cockerels and some that scream pullet- but I better give it more time. I have 3 pullets- I need 5 more to make my 8 layers. I need 1 more pullet - to give to a friend giving her an Orp pullet and cockerel. So I need 6 Pullets out of 12 chicks....think it'll happen? LOL *fingers crossed*

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Woohoo thanks guys! Even my hubby wanted to keep 1 of each (breed). Joe Cocker (Buff Orp) and Samson (BCM) are keepers for now unless they prove themselves unworthy. I've only named one of pullets though- Harriet (original I know) she a biiig girl compared to the others and a little more chill. Not naming the others. I'm excited to see what the 3 week olds are. I see some obvious cockerels and some that scream pullet- but I better give it more time. I have 3 pullets- I need 5 more to make my 8 layers. I need 1 more pullet - to give to a friend giving her an Orp pullet and cockerel. So I need 6 Pullets out of 12 chicks....think it'll happen? LOL *fingers crossed*

just keep buying chicks...
eventually you will have enough hens.. lol

I guess that is kinda like the lotto mentality. If I keep playing I will be sure to when someday..

I just got rid of my two cream legbar x welsummer /pene cross rooster chicks away... yeah
now down to 3 hens of my project olive eggers.

 

[Iain Utah]

Hi all, hope you do not mind me popping in on your state's thread. I am trying to coordinate a rescue effort for a huge number of birds in central coastal California area. If interested in maybe helping, please read: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/686015/goose-lovers-please-help

Thanks!!

 

[zooweemama]

just keep buying chicks...
eventually you will have enough hens.. lol

I guess that is kinda like the lotto mentality. If I keep playing I will be sure to when someday..

I just got rid of my two cream legbar x welsummer /pene cross rooster chicks away... yeah
now down to 3 hens of my project olive eggers.

I am hoping to be able to close my flock with what I have for the year. I am afraid of stressing all the chicks out if I add more? But I am determined to have 8- so we will see. They are 3 weeks old today so maybe I should take a preliminary look and see what I think I might have. The Orps- I don't know if it's because they come from good stock but so far have been pretty easy to tell. The Marans I am more unsure of.

 

[debs_flock]

On a single comb bird, by three weeks of age, there shouldn't be any question. Just post photos.

Deb